Taking Inclusion and Diversity a Step Further

<p><strong>As Spring Break season approaches, we always like to remind you to schedule any assessments that might be needed before the end of the school year. Don’t let the timeline sneak up on you! Check-in with your school now so you don’t get pushed to the next school year.&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Our series on eligibility continues as we are joined by Melissa Brady Petrillo, who came up with a unique idea for children with special needs. She is a teacher in New Jersey who is passionate about books and inclusion and was inspired to see that children with disabilities and special needs see themselves mirrored in the books they read. Her goal is to help students and families understand that everyone encompasses a unique mindset that must be valued in our world today. Join us for the conversation!</p><p><strong>Show Highlights</strong></p><ul><li>How Melissa saw the need and took the risk to bring awareness to the inclusion problem</li><li>How Melissa came up with evaluative criteria for books that address different learning needs</li><li>Why children need to understand diversity in order to relate to others</li><li>How books can be used as a starting point for conversations and connections</li><li>How more books are being written today that portray what neurodiverse people are going through</li><li>How Melissa provides resources for other teachers through the Teachers Pay Teachers website</li><li>Why libraries, our communities, and our world need to become more inclusive</li><li>What’s next for Melissa</li></ul><br/><p><strong>Links/Resources</strong></p><p>Connect with Melissa:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/melbrady10/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Instagram</a>,<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sometimes-Melissa-Brady-Petrillo/dp/1098060229" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Her book,<em> Sometimes</em></a><em>,</em><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:melissa%2520brady%2520petrillo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em> </em>Resources on Teachers Pay Teache